How to Hide Your Phone Number When You Call on iPhone

You can hide your caller ID on iPhone through Settings, but the method depends on whether you want to block it for all calls or just some

iPhone gives you two ways to hide your number. The simplest is to turn on a setting that blocks your caller ID for every call you make. The second is to add a code before a specific number when you dial it, which hides your ID just for that one call. Both work on any carrier, though some carriers charge a monthly fee for the permanent setting or require you to contact them directly.

The permanent setting lives in your Phone app settings and takes about 30 seconds to turn on. The per-call method works when ready but requires you to remember the code each time. Neither method is reversible mid-call — once you dial, your choice is locked in.

Key Takeaways

Go to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and toggle it off to hide your number on all outgoing calls.
To hide your number for a single call, dial *67 before the phone number, then press call.
Some carriers charge a monthly fee for the permanent setting or may not support it at all — contact your carrier if the toggle does not appear.
The person you call will see "Unknown," "Private," or "Blocked" instead of your number, but they can still answer and hear you.
Hiding your caller ID does not prevent emergency services from seeing your real number if you call 911.

How to permanently hide your caller ID in Settings

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and tap Phone. Scroll down until you see "Show My Caller ID" and tap it. Toggle the switch to off (it will turn gray). From that moment on, every call you make will show as blocked or unknown to the person receiving it.

If you do not see the "Show My Caller ID" option, your carrier either does not support the feature or requires you to contact them to enable it. Call your carrier's customer service number and ask them to turn on caller ID blocking. Some carriers charge $1 to $3 per month for this feature, though many include it free.

You can turn this setting back on anytime by returning to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and toggling it on again. Turning it on means your number will display normally on future calls.

How to hide your number for a single call

Open the Phone app and tap the keypad. Type *67, then the phone number you want to call, then press the green call button. The asterisk and 67 will disappear from the screen once you press call, and the recipient will see a blocked or unknown number instead of yours.

This method works on any carrier and does not require any settings changes. You have to enter *67 every time you want to hide your number for that specific call. If you forget to add it, your number will display normally.

The *67 code works the same way whether you are calling a landline, a cell phone, or a business. Some older phone systems or private phone networks may not recognize the code, in which case your number may still display — this is rare but can happen.

What the person you call will see

When you hide your caller ID, the person receiving your call will see one of several labels instead of your number: "Unknown," "Private," "Blocked," "Restricted," or "Anonymous." The exact label depends on their phone and carrier, but all of them mean the same thing — your number was hidden.

They can still answer the call and hear you normally. Hiding your caller ID does not prevent them from picking up or talking to you. It only prevents them from seeing your phone number on their screen before they answer.

When caller ID blocking does not work

If you hide your caller ID but the person still sees your number, the most common reason is that you turned on the setting but your carrier does not actually support it. Some carriers, particularly smaller regional carriers, do not offer caller ID blocking at all. Contact your carrier to confirm they support the feature.

Another reason is that the person you called has a service that unblocks hidden numbers. Some phone systems and business phone lines have software that reveals blocked caller IDs. This is common at hospitals, police departments, and large companies. There is no way around this on your end — the service on their side overrides your setting.

If you used *67 and your number still showed, you may have dialed it incorrectly. Double-check that you entered *67 before the area code and number, with no spaces or dashes between them.

Caller ID blocking and emergency calls

If you call 911, your caller ID will display to emergency services regardless of whether you have blocking turned on or have used *67. Emergency dispatch systems are designed to receive your real number and location data so they can send help to the right place. This is a legal requirement and cannot be overridden by any setting on your phone.

For any other emergency number or crisis line, your number may or may not display depending on how that service is set up. If you are calling a crisis line or non-emergency number and want to stay anonymous, call from a phone that is not registered to you, or ask the service directly whether they can accept blocked calls.

Why you might want to hide your caller ID

People hide their caller ID for many reasons. You might not want a business to have your personal number. You might be calling someone you do not know well and prefer not to give out your number until you know them better. You might be testing whether someone will answer calls from unknown numbers. You might be calling a service that you do not want to have your number on file.

Hiding your caller ID is legal in the United States for personal calls. Businesses that hide their caller ID when calling customers may violate FCC rules, but individuals can use the feature freely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my caller ID on FaceTime or iMessage?

No. FaceTime and iMessage always show your phone number or Apple ID to the person you are contacting. The caller ID blocking setting only affects regular phone calls made through the Phone app. There is no way to hide your number on FaceTime or iMessage.

Will the person know I blocked my caller ID?

They will see that your number is blocked or unknown, but they will not receive a notification that you specifically chose to hide it. They will just see "Unknown" or "Private" on their screen like any other blocked call.

Does hiding my caller ID cost money?

Using *67 is free. The permanent setting in your phone may cost $1 to $3 per month depending on your carrier, or it may be included free. Contact your carrier to ask whether they charge for caller ID blocking.

What if I hide my caller ID but the person calls me back?

They cannot call you back because they do not have your number. If they want to reach you, you will need to call them again or provide your number through another method like text or email.

Can I hide my caller ID on older iPhones?

Yes. Both the Settings method and the *67 method work on any iPhone model that supports phone calls. The feature has been available for many years and works the same way across all iPhone versions.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.